3rd Tourism Council Claims It's Place In History

T. R. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that a comprehensive Tourism Forum will be held in Ankara in November and announced September 25, 2017 as the deadline for notifications.

What is this 'Tourism Council'? What is actually aimed at here? What will be difference of 3rd Tourism Council from the "tourism" related meetings held recently? Here we meet with the President of the Tourist Guides Association (TUREB) Ahmet Zeki Apalı, one of the institutions responsible for the organization of the 3rd Tourism Council, for the answers of these questions which are curious. We talked about tourism and tourist guides of the country related to 3rd Tourism Council.

Hello Mr. Zeki First, we want to know what the 3rd Tourism Council is and what it promises.

In November, The Tourism Council, planned by the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is planned to be the third round after 1998 and 2002. Although the meaning of 'Council' is rooted in the same meaning as 'advisory board'; it has been deemed appropriate to make such a definition in the place where people perceive it as a top-level organization of a sense of perception. In other words, the 3rd Tourism Council will take place in the most comprehensive and priority of Turkey's tourism field and the highest meeting date of the parade.

What is the function, its mission of the Tourist Guides Association?

Guiding profession is the building blocks of tourism. Tourism will not happen if there is no travel agency, hotelier, or transport company. Guiding also emerges as a concept of such importance. We believe that the guiding part should be developed with both education and promotion focus. For this reason, we have identified guiding education as an important topic as tourism education in particular and we take an active role in council. We did a study for council, we wanted a scientific board composed of academicians and it was accepted. There was a board of representatives the names we determined from the sector and academicians who gave tourism education in the universities. This committee will present the problems of the sector, voice the troubles in the publicand by making the natural solution focused suggestions in order to come to realize what we intend to interact.

How is your personal perspective of 3rd Tourism Council?

Except the last two years, we can say that the tourism sector has a serious development since 2002. The sector, which is nourished by the dynamics within itself, has been severely damaged in the last two years due to the international conjuncture and the negativity around us.We see 3rd Tourism Council as an opportunity created to take precautions to overcome the mistakes by putting them on the table, made when tourism in decline.

What would it be if this was a slogan that summarizes the main objective of the 3rd Tourism Council, which will reveal the character of the council?

I was working on a subject the day before. I have hosted Nejat Şardağı, the representative of ENAT (European Network for Accessible Tourism).We talked to him before, just before the Tourist Council if possible, bringing names such as the President of the World Tourism Organization or senior staffs to Turkey, like the ENAT World President; having it said them for 2018: "Destination Turkey!" We care about this because look in Germany, Merkel makes a statement, people are impressed, and this is also true for other European countries. The information that comes to our guides is as follows; yes people have a certain confidence in politicians but people started to feel uneasy about especially in tourism issue. "Whether are they saying true? There are questions like; is Turkey really in a disadvantaged position in terms of tourism?" Because a German who came to Turkey and made a holiday with a very high standard for 500 Euros and went back to his country without any problem, comparing the same conditions in Spain or Greece spending a lot more money and making holidays on lower standards.So it starts to question. As the partners of Turkish tourism, far from political tensions to brighten this valuable product and get results. In this "3rd Tourism Council" all these thoughts, opinions of academic names, researches based on numbers and realistic steps forward for Turkey Tourism's future will be debated and resolved.

“THE TOP OF THE GOVERNMENT PAYS ATTENTION TO TOURISM.”

I want to underline that I have heard the sensitivity of Mr. President to the issue. I know that he cares about the council and he gave instructions about decisions to raise our tourism value should be applied erewhile will be taken at the council. This is exciting, hopeful and motivating us as tourism professionals. Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmuş being an important statesman, since his inauguration, his attitude of sensitivity to the current issues has encouraged me and all members of the tourism sector for the future. We will prepare in detail the 3rd Tourism Council in November and after the council strive to return to the old days of Turkish tourism with all of our partners.

The importance given to the 3rd Tourism Council is now creating a positive atmosphere. We will closely monitor the developments that will be held until November and the effectiveness in practice of the decisions to be made in council.